BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a USB connector type memory card adapter in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the USB connector type memory card adapter according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the USB connector type memory card adapter according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is another exploded view of the USB connector type memory card adapter according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cutaway view of the USB connector type memory card adapter according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a sectional side view of the present invention after insertion of a memory card into the USB connector type memory card adapter.
FIG. 7 is an applied view of the present invention, showing the USB connector type memory card adapter inserted into a USB jack in an electronic apparatus.
FIG. 8 is an exploded view of an alternate form of the USB connector type memory card adapter according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a USB connector type memory card adapter 1 in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a USB connector unit 11, a memory card module 12 formed integral with one end of the USB connector unit 11 and electrically connected to the USB connector unit 11, a metal shield 13 surrounding the USB connector unit 11 and the memory card connector unit 12, and a cover shell 14 fitted into a top opening 131 of the metal shield 13 over the top side of the memory card module 12.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 and FIGS. 2 and 3 again, the metal shield 13 is shaped like a rectangular tube for insertion into a USB jack, having the aforesaid top opening 131, a rear opening 132, a front opening 133, a plurality of retaining holes 134 symmetrically disposed at the two opposite lateral side walls near the front side, two locating slots 135 respectively formed on the two opposite lateral sidewalls and longitudinally extending to the rear side, and two sliding tracks 136 longitudinally arranged in parallel at two sides of the top opening 131. The USB connector unit 11 comprises a plurality of springy hooks 111 symmetrically disposed at two opposite sides for engaging the retaining holes 134 of the metal shield 13. The memory card module 12 comprises two locating portions 121 symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides for positioning in the locating slots 135 of the metal shield 13, a plurality of top mounting holes 122 for the mounting of the cover shell 14, a set of conducting terminals 123 fixedly mounted in the top side and electrically connected to the USB connector unit 11, and a hanging hole 124 on the free end (the end remote from the USB connector unit 11) for the mounting of a hanging cord. The cover shell 14 has a plurality of bottom mounting rods 141 corresponding to the top mounting holes 122 of the memory card module 12, an insertion hole 142 through which a memory card 2 is inserted into the memory card module 12 (see FIG. 6), and two sliding rails 143 longitudinally arranged in parallel at two opposite lateral sides corresponding to the sliding tracks 136 of the metal shield 13.
Referring to FIGS. 2-5 again, the cover shell 14 is fastened to the top side of the memory card module 12 by fitting the bottom mounting rods 141 of the cover shell 14 into the respective top mounting holes 122 at the memory card module 12. After installation of the cover shell 14 in the memory card module 12, the memory card module 12 and the cover shell 14 are inserted with the USB connector unit 11 through the rear opening 132 into the inside of the metal shield 13 to move the sliding rails 143 of the cover shell 14 along the sliding tracks 136 of the metal shield 13 and to force the springy hooks 111 of the USB connector unit 11 into the retaining holes 134 of the metal shield 13 and the locating portions 121 of the memory card module 12 into the locating slots 135 of the metal shield 13 respectively.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 and FIG. 2 again, after insertion of a memory card 2 through the insertion hole 142 of the cover shell 14 into the memory card module 12 of the USB connector type memory card adapter 1 into contact with the conducting terminals 123, the USB connector unit 11 of the USB connector type memory card adapter 1 is inserted into a USB jack 41 of an electronic apparatus 4 to electrically connect the memory card 2 to the electronic apparatus 4, enabling the electronic apparatus to access the memory card 2.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 again, each conducting terminal 123 has one end fixedly fastened to the memory card module 12, and the other end suspending above the top wall of the memory card module 12 and terminating in a downwardly curved press portion 1231, an obliquely upwardly extending spring arm portion 1232 and then a contact portion 1233. The downwardly curved press portion 1231 is pressed on a respective electric contact (not shown) in the top wall of the memory card module 12 to support the spring arm portion 1232 and the contact portion 1233 above the top wall of the memory card module 12. After insertion of the memory card 2 into the memory card module 12, the spring arm portion 1232 imparts a pressure to the contact portion 1233, forcing the contact portion 1233 into forward contact with the respective contact in the bottom side of the memory card 2. At this time, the memory card 2 gives a downward pressure to the contact portion 1233 and the spring arm portion 1232, forcing the downwardly curved press portion 1231 is positive contact with the respective electric contact in the top wall of the memory card module 12. Therefore, signal is transmitted from the memory card 2 through the conducting terminals 123 and the USB connector unit 11 to the electronic apparatus 4 positively. The design of the conducting terminals 123 eliminates the problems of elastic fatigue and contact error.
According to the aforesaid design, the metal shield 13 is shaped like a rectangular tube insertable into the USB jack 41 of the electronic apparatus 4. The metal shield 13 has a uniform internal width from the front opening 133 to the rear opening 132 (see FIG. 2). The USB connector unit 11 and the memory card module 12 have a uniform width fitting the internal width of the metal shield 13. Therefore, the size of the USB connector type memory card adapter 1 is minimized.
FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate form of the USB connector type memory card adapter according to the present invention. According to this design, an end cap 15 is capped on the cover shell 14 to block the insertion hole 142 against dust and external object. When wishing to insert a memory card 2 into the memory card module 12, remove the end cap 15 from the cover shell 14, and then insert the memory card 2 through the insertion hole 142 into the inside of the memory card module 12. The cover shell 14 can be transparent so that the user can see the type of the inserted memory card 2. Further, the end cap 15 has a through hole 151 corresponding to the hanging hole 124 for the passing of a hanging cord 3 that is fastened to the hanging hole 124.
Further, the aforesaid memory card 2 is a mini memory card, such as, Mini SD, MS Duo or Trans Flash.
As indicated above, the invention provides a USB connector type memory card adapter, which has the following features:
1. The conducting terminals 123 are formed in the memory card module 12 in integrity, each having a contact portion 1233 for forward contact with the inserted memory card. Therefore, when a memory card is inserted into the USB connector type memory card adapter 1, the inserted memory card is kept in positive contact with the conducting terminals 123. When the memory card is removed from the USB connector type memory card adapter 1, the conducting terminals 123 immediately return to their former shape.
2. The USB connector unit 11 and the memory card module 12 are longitudinally connected in a line in a flush manner and fitted into the metal shield 13. The cover shell 14 is fastened to the memory card module 12 at the top, having two sliding rails 143 symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides and respectively coupled to the sliding tracks 136 of the metal shield 13, guiding the USB connector unit 11 and the memory card module 12 into the metal shield 13. Therefore, the whole assembly is small sized.
3. The memory card module 12 has a hanging hole 124 for the mounting of a hanging cord 3, and an end cap 5 is capped on the rear end of the USB connector type memory card adapter 1 to protect the inserted memory card. The end cap 5 has a through hole 151 for the passing of the hanging cord 3.
4. The conducting terminals 123 each comprise a downwardly curved press portion 1231 pressed on a respective electric contact at the top side of the memory card module 12, a contact portion 1233 for forward contact with the inserted memory card, and a spring arm portion 1232 connected between the downwardly curved press portion 1231 and the contact portion 1233 and suspending above the memory card connector unit 12 to support the contact portion 1233. When the contact portion 1233 contacts the inserted memory card, the spring arm portion 1232 is forced by the pressure of the memory card to force the downwardly curved press portion 1231 downwards, keeping the downwardly curved press portion 1231 in positive contact with the associating electric contact at the top side of the memory card module 12.
A prototype of USB connector type memory card adapter has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1-8. The USB connector type memory card adapter functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080096413
